I love Tae Kwon-Do. It’s my life and my passion. Tonight is a special martial art night. I have one student testing for 4th Dan…and in this case “Master” level. I am proud to see many quality students graduate to Black Belt. I believe any good martial art school should be able to produce a healthy number of Black Belts. But it takes a special student to reach the 2nd Dan. It takes an even more superior student to reach 3rd Dan. But it is the best of the best who reach “Master”. I do not easily allow my students to even take this test unless they have proven themselves on many fronts; martial art prowess, high standards and good morals, leadership abilities plus they must be excellent instructors… compassionate. They must mentor students at my DoJang. They must be fearless. They need to exhibit maturity and class. They must have my back and the backs of every student at the DoJang. And they must love Tae Kwon-Do. It must be their passion as well
This is not to diminish the efforts of all of my awesome students testing for various color belt ranks. You are the blood of the DoJang. This doesn’t mean those who are testing for other various Black Belt ranks are not outstanding. You are. This note is to just let everyone take a step back and realize something great is about to happen tonight.
I know at many schools, the head instructor and judges on the panel go into a test like this with an attitude of making it difficult for the candidate to pass. I do not. Instead, I have made the path to this test difficult and challenging. No one can test to become a Master in one night. The test has been going on for over 12 years. Tonight is a demonstration of just what Tae Kwon-Do is all about. Don’t get me wrong. If the candidate fails to produce, they fail the test. My point is, Anne Reed would not be even testing for this rank if I did not already know she will pass.
Don’t miss this test. It is free and open to the public. It begins at 7:00 p.m. tonight, 6/14, at Master Gorino’s Pil-Sung Tae Kwon-Do. We are located at 839-Niagara Fall Blvd. in Amherst. You may call the school for details at 836-KICK. Pil-Sung!
